Amgen's Xgeva faces FDA skepticism

The FDA isn't convinced that Amgen ($AMGN) needs another bone-metastasis indication for its new drug Xgeva. The drug is already approved to treat skeletal side effects in cancer patients, but Amgen is asking to market it as a preventive tool for men with advanced prostate cancer. The idea is that earlier use of Xgeva might stave off--or at least delay--development of bone metastases in those men. The other idea, of course, is that marketing the drug for that use could increase sales. Story